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Student board to shrink
Inconsistent attendance a factor in decision to decrease number of representatives
Nicole Strittmater
Issue date: 12/6/07 Section: Campus News
The United Council of UW Students General Assembly passed legislation Saturday that will reconstruct its board of directors.
Currently, the board consists of one student representative from each of the 21 campuses, in the UW System, said Elizabeth Schinke, UW-Eau Claire's United Council delegation leader. These representatives are chosen by each school's student body president, she said.
With these new changes, Schinke said the board will be smaller.
Starting in April, four students will represent all the four-year schools, four will represent all the two-year schools and one student from each of the three issues committees will be on the board.
The three issue committees are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs, Multicultural Affairs and Gender and Women's Committee.
"(The board of directors) made a recommendation to the General Assembly that these changes to our constitution should happen," Schinke said.
Board members are required to attend all the General Assembly meetings and conferences, she said, adding that not all members are able to make it to the events.
"That just really makes for an unproductive board," she said. "If you don't have consistency in the members that come, it's difficult to get things accomplished."
President of United Council and chairman of its board of directors Jeffrey Allen, a senior at UW-La Crosse, agreed.
"I definitely think it's a step forward for United Council," he said. "Since I've been in office, we've had some major problems with attendance, so it makes it really difficult to get business done … mainly because it (is) such a large board."
Schinke said there was a lot of discussion about whether it is fair to reduce the number of members.
"It's kind of decreasing representation, but it's also increasing the effectiveness of the board," she said. "There were a lot of pros and a lot of cons. I think effectiveness just won out."
Allen said while currently each campus selects a student to serve on the board, with these changes, the General Assembly will elect them.
Currently, the board consists of one student representative from each of the 21 campuses, in the UW System, said Elizabeth Schinke, UW-Eau Claire's United Council delegation leader. These representatives are chosen by each school's student body president, she said.
With these new changes, Schinke said the board will be smaller.
Starting in April, four students will represent all the four-year schools, four will represent all the two-year schools and one student from each of the three issues committees will be on the board.
The three issue committees are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs, Multicultural Affairs and Gender and Women's Committee.
"(The board of directors) made a recommendation to the General Assembly that these changes to our constitution should happen," Schinke said.
Board members are required to attend all the General Assembly meetings and conferences, she said, adding that not all members are able to make it to the events.
"That just really makes for an unproductive board," she said. "If you don't have consistency in the members that come, it's difficult to get things accomplished."
President of United Council and chairman of its board of directors Jeffrey Allen, a senior at UW-La Crosse, agreed.
"I definitely think it's a step forward for United Council," he said. "Since I've been in office, we've had some major problems with attendance, so it makes it really difficult to get business done … mainly because it (is) such a large board."
Schinke said there was a lot of discussion about whether it is fair to reduce the number of members.
"It's kind of decreasing representation, but it's also increasing the effectiveness of the board," she said. "There were a lot of pros and a lot of cons. I think effectiveness just won out."
Allen said while currently each campus selects a student to serve on the board, with these changes, the General Assembly will elect them.
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